David Diaz, come on down! Any other non-threatening possible Manny Pacquaio opponents, you come on down also. The Filpino boxing legend is going into extreme protective custody. He may become the Boxer in the Bubble.
Promoter Bob Arum, privately disappointed at Pacman?s slim victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in their rematch Saturday night in Las Vegas, has made the executive decision to more carefully screen Pacquiao opponents. All potential Pacman foes will now be vetted and analyzed more thoroughly, per the Top Rank Top Dog?s direct orders.
?Bob, in his heart of heats, believed that Manny?s great physical condition and his continued gym work with trainer Freddie Roach would enable him to thrash Marquez this time. He can?t and won?t say it in public but Bob has reevaluated how he will handle Pacquiao the rest of Manny?s big-money career.
This strategic decision was reached as Arum and his top brass huddled in the wee hours of Sunday morning at the Strip House steak joint at Mandalay Bay. The topic continued to be bantered about around the TR offices on Howard Hughes Parkway on Monday.
What does this Executive Order mean?
It means big name big money bouts looming down the road for Packy-yow may be against, first and foremost, Tricky Ricky Hatton, whose punches come in volume but with little magnum force. And there?s another Brit who may grow into the stature of lucrative and relatively harmless MP foe. That?s young Amir Khan, who seems to hit with force but whose ?whiskers? are suspect.
If and when Pacman gets to the 140-pound region, maybe he even fights both Manchester?s Only One Ricky and The Pride of Bolton, young Mr. Khan. Adding UK TV revenue would enhance both their prospects.
It means Megamanny will never fight undefeated, heavy-handed KO artist and abuser of ?tuk tuk drivers? Edwin Valero. Although he?s a wide and wild puncher, this is someone who could stretch Pacman for a real 10-count.
Built-in excuse to avoid Valero: he can’t get medically licensed in the U.S.
It means Pacquiao will never fight unbeaten ?Dominican Dandy? Joan Guzman, the whirling dervish with the marvelous hand and foot speed who might make Pacman look like a man stuck in a broken revolving door.
Built-in excuse to avoid Guzman: he’s no great ticket-seller.
Arum has made it clear to son-in-law and company president Todd duBoef and to ace matchmaker Bruce ?Southland? Trampler that Valero and Guzman are ?verboten? when it comes to putting up a Pacman foe?s name on Trampler?s famous office blackboard,
It means that, once Arum?s Golden Boy pals (boy, is that romance over or what?) patch the broken hooves of their new charge, Juan ?Baby Bull? Diaz, that he is also unlikely to be put into the ring with Manny. Why, you ask? Diaz is too young, too fast and too busy to risk Arum?s Golden Goose with.
Howe about Juan Diaz conqueror Nate ?Galaxxy Warrior? Campbell? Like the forementioned, Top Rank has a ready excuse to avoid him at lightweight as well.
Campbell is with archrival Don King and he and Bob Arum only co-promote once per decade. Plus Campbell does not bring big money or a real fan constituency to the table.
David Diaz, by contrast, is an ideal foe for Pacman in Arum?s view. Easy to hit, can?t break an egg with a hammer and grateful to get the big payday. Did I mention that he is TRP meaning a Top Rank chattel.
Arum wants both the opponent?s corner in all future Pacman bouts, whenever possible, to filled with one of his own ?house fighters.?
That?s why a Golden Boy guy such as free-swinger Michael ?Rocky? Kastidis is also unlikely to land a Pacquiao bout even if he turns back Cuban southpaw veteran Joel Casamayor.
I?m not saying Marquez won?t get a third Pacquiao bout. The time will come when HBO will stack the money and Arum will roll over but it won?t happen this year. Arum is content to let Marquez age ungracefully. The promoter doesn?t mind seeing the Mexican?s legs become more wobbly as tempus fugit.
Hey, maybe Arum can bring in Jorge Solis? Oops, no they already used him as a punch bag in San Antonio.
Picky, picky, picky. That?s the order of the day at Top Rank.
Protecting Pacquiao has just become Priority One.
The Secret Service will be able to take lessons from Uncle Bob on this assignment.
